


Portrait Mode

by maximumsuckage



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Caring Castiel, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Injured Dean, Jealous Gabriel (Supernatural), Jealous Sam Winchester, Jealousy, M/M, Past Gabriel/Kali (Supernatural), Past Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester, Romance, Sick Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 23:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13259034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maximumsuckage/pseuds/maximumsuckage
Summary: Sam had forgotten about the portrait that had been drawn of him freshman year of Stanford, by Jess's old roommate.  Unbeknownst to them, that portrait made it to one of Gabriel's apartments, where he brings Team Free Will after Dean is injured on a hunt.  The reminder of his college years stirs up old memories for Sam.





	Portrait Mode

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the prompt by @nathyfaith (tumblr):  
> Basically one of Sam's friends does a painting of his smiling face and somehow Gabriel buys it. One day Cas and Dean are invited to Gabe's home where Dean is very confused when he turns into a corridor to enter the living room and stares back at his little brother's face and goes 'why do you have a portray of Sammy's?', make some soulmate background, throw some ansgt, some fluffy and a big Sabriel kiss. (Loves ya and thank you!)

_Fifteen Years Ago_

“Sam, I will literally pay you.”  Kelsey pouted, walking backwards in front of Sam as he headed for class, pretending that he couldn’t hear him talking.  “I need a portrait for my portfolio, and you’re literally my only friend I haven’t drawn yet.”

“That’s because everyone else is sick of you,” Sam said with a little chuckle, lightly pushing her aside.  “C’mon, Kelsey.  I gotta get to class.”

“Sam, _please_.”  Kelsey darted into the doorway of the classroom so Sam couldn’t pass.  She looked up at him, pouting.  “I _need_ to get this internship, Sam.  I can’t… my parents want me to be a doctor.  If I bag this internship, I can prove to them that I can make it as an illustrator.  But I _need_ someone to sit for a drawing.”

Sam tried to push by her, but despite her tiny stature, she was adamant he not make it into the lecture hall until he said yes.  “You have a nice face, Sam.  If I gotta look at you every time you come to my place fawning over my roommate, then I get to draw you for my portfolio.  Nobody will even know it’s you.  I won’t put your name on it.  And I’ll pay you.  Twenty bucks.”

“I don’t fawn over Jess,” Sam scoffed, standing back.

“Are you guys fighting, or can I get through?” 

Sam and Kelsey moved aside for the girl who was trying to get in the room.  Sam tried to dart in after her, but Kelsey threw her body back in the way.  “Thirty,” she tried.  “Please, Sam.”

Sam blinked, surprised.  Twenty dollars wasn’t worth his picture circulating, but thirty sounded better.  He could buy himself groceries that didn’t make him gain three pounds a meal like the dining hall food (no matter that he spent his spare time working out).  Or he could get Dean a birthday present… a new pair of boots, or maybe a couple new CDs.  “Make it forty,” he said, crossing his arms (though if she refused, he’d settle for the thirty). 

“Done,” she said, nodding vehemently. “Thank you, Sam.  Thankyouthankyouthankyou-”

“I’m not sitting for six hours though,” Sam said, trying to sneak into the lecture hall.  “You can take a picture of me and draw that.”

“That’s fine.”  She nodded.  “Thank you so much.  Can you come over tonight?”

“Well, I have to study…”

“Jess will be there.”

Sam hesitated.  “Fine, I’ll be there.  But I do have to study.  And I gotta go to class right now.”

 

_Present day_

“I can’t believe you guys are such idiots.”  Gabriel strolled in front of Castiel and Dean, hands in his pockets.  “I’ve got the antidote somewhere around here, but I’ve only got a couple doses, so don’t be getting bit by any more snakes.”

“Snake?”  Dean looked up, blood staining his lips red.  “That thing wasn’t just a snake.  It was a fucking drago-” he broke off into coughing, slumping against Castiel.  Blood splattered the floor. 

“Hurry, Gabriel,” Castiel hissed.

Gabriel waved at the doorman and then strolled past the flowers and fancy paneling to the elevator, pressing the button.  “Try not to get blood on the floor, Deano.  This is a classy establishment.”

Dean glared at Gabriel, but he couldn’t speak past the blood and spit in his mouth, and he couldn’t punch Gabriel because he couldn’t stand on his own due to the sudden spinning of the room. 

The elevator dinged, and the shiny gold doors opened to reveal a mirrored interior.  Castiel half carried Dean inside, grunting as Dean tried to swing a punch at Gabriel.  Gabriel easily ducked it and pressed the button for the top floor.  “I’ve had this place for a few years now,” he said casually, rocking back on his heels as the elevator ascended.  “Fancy rich people sort of place, you know?  Only the best for me.  I’ll drop the address to Sam so he can meet us here.  You’re in for a rough night, Deano.”

“We don’t need a history lesson about your penthouse,” Castiel growled.  “We need to get there so that we can give Dean the antidote.”

Dean coughed again, and drops of red splattered the mirrored panels.  “Feel like crap,” he muttered, slumping against Castiel’s chest.  “Hits you fast, doesn’t it?” 

“Gabriel, we need the antidote,” Castiel hissed again.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, spinning his whole body to face them.  “Do I look like I can speed up an elevator, Castiel?”

“Ar’angel,” Dean slurred, eyes closed.  Blood dripped down his chin.

“Oh, right.”  Gabriel snapped his fingers, and they were standing on the top floor, outside a door.  “Welcome to the humble abode of Gabriel Milton,” he said, pushing the door open to reveal a stunningly lavish interior.  A seventy inch TV dominated one wall, while the opposite was a wall of glass overlooking the glittering city far below.  The furniture was all sleek and modern, contrasting with the messily hung art on the walls.  The carpet was a pale cream that made the main room look bright and airy.

Dean leaned over and threw up on the pale, clean carpet.

Gabriel made a high pitched noise and danced backwards, into the room.  “Okay, antidote,” he said, darting through another doorway. 

“Careful,” Castiel murmured, helping Dean into the room to let him lean against the couch.  “Steady.  You’re okay.”

“Sammy?”

Castiel brushed his fingers over Dean’s hair.  “No, it’s Cas.  You’re delirious.”

“’m not.”  He gestured vaguely and then leaned over the arm of the couch, eyes closed.  “Can’ tell if ‘m gonna puke again…”

Castiel sat beside him, rubbing his back, and then glanced in the direction he’d gestured, frowning.  There was a lot of art on the wall- much of it was probably valuable, and just as much looked like it had been drawn by children.  Half covered by a watercolor of lilies was an old sketch.  Sure enough, it did look a good deal like Sam. 

Dean groaned, and Gabriel was walking out of the room with a syringe in his hand.  “Okie dokes,” he said.  “I need a vein.  Gimme your arm, Dean, and if you throw up on me, I will let you die.”

“You suck,” Dean muttered, eyes still closed, but he weakly held out his hand. 

Gabriel squeezed Dean’s hand into a fist and studied his elbow for a moment.  “I can’t work when you’re staring at me,” he said, and Castiel obediently moved back slightly, though one hand still rested on Dean’s shoulder. 

Gabriel stuck the needle into the vein, a little too experienced for anybody’s comfort, and a moment later Dean groaned, slumping. 

“It’ll take a few days to get him back to normal, but he’ll be fine.”  Gabriel flopped back on another chair, waving a hand lazily towards the mess in the doorway.  It vanished even as Gabriel pulled out his phone.  “Sam’s on his way,” he said, twisting so that he was sitting sideways on the chair, legs dangling over the arm.  “I don’t use this place much.  You guys are welcome to crash.”

Dean was silent, a glaze of sweat glistening on his face.  He leaned back against Castiel, eyes closed.  “Why d’ya got a picture of Sammy on the wall?”

“What?  I don’t.”  Gabriel raised an eyebrow.  “You’re delirious.  Cas, put him in the bed.  Actually, put him in the bathroom in case his system decides to start, like, purging itself or something.  And then put him on the bed when he’s done puking up organs.”

“I believe,” Castiel said as he situated Dean so he could pick the hunter up, “that he was talking about that picture on the wall.”

Dean groaned as Castiel picked him up, slumping against the angel.

“What picture?”  Gabriel gestured vaguely.  “I don’t know where half this crap comes from.  It just collects over time.”

“To the left of the television,” Castiel said, as he maneuvered Dean towards the bedroom doorway.  “It is a very good likeness.” 

And then Dean’s stomach decided that he would feel better if he started throwing up what was left of his breakfast burrito on the soft gray carpeting of Gabriel’s bedroom, and there was nothing Castiel could do except try to push him towards the bathroom.  Everybody ignored Gabriel’s disgusted groan. 

Leaving them to it, Gabriel got up from the chair and wandered over to the left of the TV.  “Huh,” he said, pushing the flower painting aside.  “Forgot about that one.”

“Forgot about what one?”  Sam had pushed the door open, not far behind them.  “Dragon’s dead,” he said.  “I burned it before I followed you.”  He paused, looking around.  “Wait, is this your home?”  He looked around, wide eyed.  “Wow, I never thought…”

“One of my places,” Gabriel said, forgetting the picture and darting across the room.  “You have to save me, Sam.  Your brother is disgusting.  He’s just _spewing_ chunks and fluid all over everything.”  He let his body flop against Sam like he had been the one who had been grievously poisoned by a dragon bite.  “Please, Sammy.”

Sam didn’t hug him, but just patted his shoulder and stepped away.  “You’re fine, Gabe.  I want to see your place.”  He started prowling, studying the art on the wall and opening cabinets.  He hesitated at a group of six or seven pinned up Polaroids depicting a couple on some tropical vacation, next to a waterfall.  “Who’s this- Oh.  Kali.” 

“It’s just one of my places.  Not even my favorite,” Gabriel said, a bit defensively.  “I don’t clean out everything every time I break up with someone.  That’d take forever.”  He still moved up behind Sam and started taking down the old, faded pictures, tossing the tacks onto the side table. 

“No, it’s fine,” Sam said, shaking his head, though his jaw was clenched.  “I know you’ve had other relationships before me.”

“Are we really doing this now?”  Gabriel shoved the pictures into a random drawer and gestured vaguely towards the bedroom.  “Your brother is falling apart and we’re talking about exes?”

Sam blinked, like he’d forgotten Dean, and darted towards the bedroom.  There were soft voices, a groan from Dean, and Gabriel slumped back down on the chair, sideways, facing the wide window.  He’d honestly forgotten this penthouse until the Winchesters had gone on a hunt in the area.  Gabriel hated hunting, but he also hated staying in the bunker alone, so tagging along and pinky swearing not to interfere was the best compromise.

And of course, he’d accidently left pictures of Kali up for Sam to find.  He should have known the hunter would zero in on those.  But he’d honestly forgotten, and it had been a while since he’d been with a human, with their tragically short lives and their habit of mating with one person for life. Gabriel had no problem with being monogamous for Sam- he definitely liked Sam, and he was starting to suspect that he loved him, though that was a can of worms for a later time- but sometimes he lost himself, and his rambling stories of the past would include steamy tales of former lovers, and then Sam would shut down and Gabriel would remember who he was talking to, and then things would be awkward.

He let his head drop backwards, hoping Sam wasn’t pissed about the pictures.  So much of his life revolved around relationships that it was almost impossible to pinpoint a time when he’d been single (he suspected a psychologist would have a field day with that.  He also suspected it had something to do with his absent father).  And if Sam couldn’t accept that-

Well, if Sam couldn’t accept that, then Gabriel would try his best to pretend that he’d never had a lover before Sam, because the idea of Sam leaving made him feel empty. 

It had been a mistake taking them here, but they’d needed the antidote, and now the damage was done, he supposed.

“You look like you’re thinking too hard.”

Gabriel jumped, not even noticing Sam walking into the room.  “What?  You know me, I never think.  I’m a man of action.”

“Sure.”  Sam resumed his prowling around the room, though this time he hesitated.  “Sorry,” he said.  “Didn’t mean to jump you on… on Kali.  It just surprised me.” 

Gabriel just half shrugged.  “I don’t care that you still fight with Ruby’s knife.  Just saying.”  It was a low blow that had just slipped, and immediately he cursed himself for it. “Just mean, a weapon’s kinda a personal thing, and I know you have history too, and I don’t mind, so-”

Sam was silent, back to Gabriel, and the archangel almost groaned.  He’d screwed up, had gone and made a bad situation worse.  Again.  He was the Messenger, and yet when it came to his own message, he always managed to garble it. 

“Where did you get this?”  Sam’s voice was half an octave too high, like he’d been punched.

Gabriel hesitated, wondering what other incriminating thing Sam had found.  This was why he just crashed at the bunker instead of taking Sam on a grand tour of his crashing spots.  “Where’d I get what?”

“This picture.”  Sam stepped aside and pointed at the sketch.  His eyes were big. 

“Oh.”  Gabriel shrugged.  “Some girl drew it.  Not someone I was with,” he added hastily. “She was a kid, interning at the place I was working for at the time.  We just hung in the same group for a little bit.  Picture looks like you, huh?  Weird.  Probably why I liked it.”

“Kelsey,” Sam said, nodding.  “She was interning for a kid’s book publisher.”

Gabriel nodded.  “Yeah.  How’d you know?”

 “It is a picture of me.”  He hesitated.  “She was Jess’s roommate.  Um… the girl I was with in college.  Before she… was killed.” 

Gabriel tilted his head, and lightly set a hand on Sam’s arm.  He was silent, waiting for Sam to choose to continue or change the subject on his own.  Sam shook his head and looked away.  “Sorry, I-”

“I want to know,” Gabriel said, moving his hand to Sam’s chest.  He could feel the human heart, beating too quickly.  “You don’t gotta tell me, but I always want to know about you, Sam.”

He shook his head.  “I was gonna marry her, you don’t want to hear-”

“I do, though.”  Gabriel smiled slightly, gazing up at Sam, trying to get him to make eye contact instead of looking out the window.  “I want to know everything about you, Sam.  If you were gonna marry her, then she’s part of you, and I want to know about her.”  He tilted his head.  “If that makes sense.”

He just shrugged, looking out the window.  “I mean, it was a long time ago, and I’m with you now, so-”

“No.  Don’t erase the past like that.”  Gabriel slid his arms to circle Sam’s ribs, looking up at him.  “It was important to you.  So it’s important to me.  I want…” he struggled to find the words to describe it.  “Look, I was with Kali for near six hundred years, okay?  She’s part of me, whether any of us like it or not.  I mean, that’s why I’m all desperate like this.”  He laughed.  “You know how hard I had to work to get a couple breadcrumbs of affection out of her?  And you know that about me.  So I wanna know this about you.  You were in school then?”

Sam looked down at Gabriel, and this time, there was the glitter of tears in his eyes.  Gabriel reached up, cupping his cheek.  “Please tell me,” he said.  “I’m here for you, okay?  We’re friends too, right?  Not just lovers.  I’ll get rid of the picture if it makes you so upset.”

“I’m not upset,” he said, looking upwards and blinking a few times, taking a breath.  “Just… she… she was my everything.  My soulmate.”

Oh.  In a sudden snap, Gabriel knew exactly how Sam felt every time he casually mentioned another lover.  The twisting of jealousy in his chest was enough to take his breath away, and he had to remind himself that they were talking about a dead girl.  His expression didn’t change though, and he nodded at Sam to continue. 

“She was… she was my first real friend.  We did everything together.  She taught me how to be a normal kid.  We’d go out and have fun and study together and go to the library and she actually loved studying, and she’d always get distracted from her schoolwork because she’d find a more interesting topic to read about…” Sam’s eyes were unfocused as he looked out the window, lost in memory.  “And she believed in me.  More than even Dean did… she helped me study for my LSATs, and she told me I could make it through law school, and she was… she was perfect.”

“She sounds like it,” Gabriel said, nodding, and trying not to imagine Sam perfectly happy with this girl.  This human girl, a girl who could be a wife and a mother and give him the perfect human life…

“And then Azazel had her killed, and I…” He shook his head.  “I never thought I’d find someone like that again.”

“Sometimes a big love like that only comes once,” Gabriel said, leaning against Sam.  Suddenly he felt like he was untethered, floating in space.  Sam had already been in love.  True love, soul love, the kind of love that could never be replaced.  And Gabriel totally understood that, but every day his grace reached for this stupid human hunter, and now his being ached, because yeah, okay, maybe he loved Sam, and that couldn’t be reciprocated, which was _fine_ , but still-

“I dunno.  It came twice for me, I think.”  Sam threaded his fingers through Gabriel’s hair. 

Gabriel froze, looking up at him, wide eyed.  “No, Sam, I’m not-”

“You’re nothing like her,” Sam agreed, shaking his head.  “But that doesn’t mean I don’t love you too.”

Gabriel’s breath hitched slightly in surprise at the word, and Sam hesitated, tensing.  “Unless you don’t feel-”

He was interrupted by Gabriel’s mouth, as he threw himself upwards, standing on his toes to tangle his fingers in the hunter’s hair.  Sam leaned down into the kiss, closing his eyes.  This wasn’t their normal kissing.  This wasn’t a sloppy kiss after a fight or an alcohol-buzzed kiss in a dirty motel room, or even a slow, lazy kiss while watching a movie.  This was something deeper, warmer.  Grace and soul mingled, connecting through the slow dance of lips and tongues, and the only urgency was the clench of Gabriel’s fist in the back of Sam’s shirt as he desperately tried to pull the hunter closer. 

Finally, Sam had to break off to catch a breath of oxygen, and Gabriel’s eyes were shining.  The shadow of wings faded from the wall as he regained control.  “Me too,” the archangel said, leaning against him, still feeling the warmth of human soul against his grace. 

Then the moment was interrupted by the sound of Dean choking on vomit in the other room, and Gabriel groaned.  “He’s ruining my rugs.  Stupid antidote takes too long.” 

 


End file.
